English Teachers Confront the Billion-Person Question
“How can rural Chinese students develop their listening and speaking skills with very limited opportunities to speak with actual native speakers in person?” This question remains the billion person question! English language learners across Asia – in China, Thailand, and Vietnam – and the entire globe – confront this profound problem. As somebody who has only taught English for a...
Read MoreSpeaking Together to Write Academic Definitions
“The beginning of wisdom is in the definition of terms.” Socrates (469 BCE–399 BCE) , Greek philosopher Getting students to speak can be a challenge, especially in ESL courses focused on academic writing. Flexibility remains essential. How does one, for instance, teach the difficult task of writing formal academic definitions in a communicative style? The challenge becomes more...
Read MoreGlobish – or Global English – Becomes Mainstream
Have you heard about the international bestseller Globish by Robert McCrum? Suddenly the term Globish seems everywhere. McCrum, who wrote the influential book “The Story of English”, argues that English has become Globish because it is the world’s international language. Partly descriptive and partly prescriptive, the author reviews the astonishing spread of English, its many changes...
Read MoreLibrary ESL Conversation Clubs Grow
Where can immigrants go to practice their English speaking skills in a relaxed, non-judgmental atmosphere? How can American libraries introduce their wonderful resources to new users and provide a vital need? Where can volunteers, librarians, and both novice and experienced English teachers enjoy leading small groups of English language learners in engaging, reflective conversations? American...
Read MorePassion and Persistence: Self-Published ESL Authors Tell Their Stories
What motivates ESL teachers to become authors? Why do many of these authors self-publish? What’s their likelihood of success? Naturally, I’m quite interested in these questions – and hope other English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers will share my interests. The acceptance of this panel discussion by CATESOL for the state conference both surprised and pleased me –...
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